Monday, July 11, 2011

Q&A With Pop Singer Alex Reid

Alex Reid is an up-and-coming pop singer living in Los Angeles just "Chillin...writin songs in a bra and blue jeans." She took the time to answer a few questions for the PM readers. Check it out.

How did you get started?
My mom recognized my love for music and singing since I was tiny... around 4 years old, and took me to my first audition for the show "Oliver" at the Topeka Civic Theatre in Kansas. I booked the role and went on to do 22 performances at the age of 5. I have been addicted to entertaining ever since.

Whom or what influenced you?
Music, both singing and writing, has always been an instinctive passion. I memorized every song in all of the disney movies I saw, and wrote my first song at age 6. I could only credit my family for embedding in me the belief that I am capable of achieving all of my dreams.

Whose career path would you like to follow?
A lot of artists have an admirable career path, but I have to say that Beyonce has really done it right. Her growth has always seemed natural, innovative, and inspired. The magnitude of her success speaks for it's self.

Hopes?
I hope to be my fans' best friend, and positively impact peoples' lives.

Dreams?
Watching my parents watching me perform at an epic venue, like Madison Square Garden.

Goals?
Actually selling albums during an era in which albums struggle to sell, especially on new artists.

Genre? Electropop?
I like to leave it as pop. It's melodic, honest, feel good music with commercial appeal.

My favorite song on your myspace page is definitely "This Mess." What types of positive feedback have you gotten from your music?
Thank you ;) That's one of my favorites too! I am so blessed to receive messages from fans everyday via twitter, facebook, youtube, and myspace expressing their love of my songs. I try my very hardest to respond to each and every one of them because since I write everything I sing, a compliment like that goes SO MUCH further into my heart than I can even explain. It's like having someone tell you, "I get you. I feel you."

The drums in your song "Aggressive" sound similar to "Mickey." Is that attitude something you bring to the table? What else sets you apart from other singers?
"Hey Mickey" is amazing to me... I love the whole vibe of Tony Basil and that record. I like to capture that fun, energetic, quirky vibe in my music for sure.

You are the CEO of FuzzyBug Music. Where did the name come from?
My brother nicknamed me Fuzzy, and my dad nicknamed me bug :)

Do you write your own songs?
Yes, I do write all of my music. That's actually the aspect of my art that I take the most pride in, because I want my fans to know the real me, and have something true to relate to. Also, it keeps me accountable for what messages I am putting out there.

Who have you worked with in the studio?
J.R Rotem, Alex Da Kid, Scott Storch, Cutfather, Guy Chambers, and countless other incredibly talented people.

Doing much recording?
Yes... I'm always making new music. I write everyday, and then record the best ideas.

Live shows?
I've been starting to do a lot more shows lately. For a long time, I was pretty much locked in the studio creating, but now that the album is in a good place and almost ready, I'm turning a lot of my focus over to growing my fan base.

Social Media is essential for any artist trying to launch a career, especially facebook, twitter and YouTube. How much time do you dedicate to that aspect and how important do you think it is for you to succeed?
I believe that social media is absolutely imperative in being successful in my field. There is no success as a pop artist without visibility, and EVERYONE is on the internet. I dedicate many hours each day to boosting my online presence. And I love sites like facebook and twitter because they give me a voice, and let me share my thoughts and opinions with a massive audience.

Unfortunately, I am just a little technologically challenged lol... computer stuff doesn't come that naturally to me!! I even get made fun of by other writers for still writing my songs with a pencil in a notebook as opposed to typing them on my laptop! And that's just basic! It takes me a LONG time to edit a video and upload it to youtube, but I'm getting better! :))

Ambitions beyond music?
It would be amazing to have some sort of TV presence, like a talk show. I'm a really opinionated person, and would love to have a forum to discuss issues that I find to be important.

Involved in any other entertainment/art/business?
I model, and act. I'm also currently working on designs for a clothing line... that's something I'm very excited about!

Anything else you would like your fans to know?
I want all of my girls to know that there are no boundaries and no labels in the world we create for ourselves. You can be everything beautiful at once. I also want them to know how appreciative I am of their love and support, and that I truly wish for all of their dreams to come true.



Find out more about her by checking out her songs/social media pages.

facebook.com/alexreidfans
myspace.com/dirrtybeige
twitter: @thealexreid
YouTube: AlexReidTV



Saturday, July 9, 2011

Jeter Becomes First Yankee to Reach 3,000 Hits

New York Yankees SS Derek Jeter entered Saturday's game against Tampa Bay with 2,998 hits. He left with five more, including the game-winning single in the eighth inning.

And of the course the five-time World Series champ had to enter Club 3000 with a home run off Rays pitcher David Price (VU).

This is just another accolade to add to one of the best players in MLB history. The face of the historic NY franchise since 1996 has also earned: Rookie of the Year, 12 All-Star selections, five Gold Gloves, four Silver Slugger Awards and the 2000 World Series MVP.

Plus, he has also nailed such fine celebrities as Mariah Carey, the Jessicas (Alba and Biel) and Minka Kelly. He's a legend.

Jeter will easily go down as one of the best athletes of his generation. And he deserves every bit of praise he will get.

Friday, July 8, 2011

Yao Ming Retires From NBA

Yao Ming, one of the most talented centers in NBA history, retired after only eight seasons, four of which were shortened due to injury.

The 8-time All Star averaged 19 points and 9 rebounds for the Houston Rockets and shot over 50% from the field.

Yao's lasting impact will not just be for his time on the court. He helped expand the globalization of the game. The sport of basketball was popular overseas well before he came to the US, but he took it to a new level. And he added the country with the largest population on the planet to the game's increasing global audience.

His career ended prematurely, but his significance should not be forgotten.

Sunday, July 3, 2011

Novak Djokovic Shows Why He Deserves No. 1 Ranking

Novak Djokovic defeated top-seeded Rafael Nadal in four sets to take home his first Grand Slam singles title at Wimbledon and third overall. On Monday, he will take over the top spot in the ATP world rankings, the first time it hasn't been Nadal or Federer since Andy Roddick in early 2004.

Djokovic is 48-1 with eight titles this season. His only loss was to 3rd-ranked Roger Federer in the semifinals of the French Open.

Though it was only the first time he's defeated Nadal in a major tournament, his 5-0 record (all in finals) against him in 2011 is especially impressive because he's done it on multiple surfaces, including grass today (Novak's first win on grass) and twice on clay, Rafa's forte.

Federer was on top for several years and has won 16 Grand Slam titles. Nadal was on top for the last few years and won 10.

If Djokovic stays healthy, he could easily hold the top spot for a significant amount of time because no one is playing at his level of skill, speed and consistency right now. His total is at three right now, but that number will definitely grow.

The question is, how many and how quickly? I think he'll be at 7 or more by the end of 2013. What do you think?